Apparatus for treating metal sheets in liquids



A ril 19, 1938. ERlCH-GUNTHER KC5HLER 2,114,782

APPARATUS FOR TREATING METAL SHEETS IN LIQUIDS Filed Dec. 25, 1957 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Inrenfor:

April 19, 1938. ERICH-GUNTHER KCHLER APPARATUS FOR TREATING METAL SHEETSIN LIQUIDS Fil ed Dec. 25, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I m'en far-i PatentedApr. 19 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Erich- Giinther Kiihler,Andernach-on-the- Rhine, Germany Application December 23, 1937, SerialNo. 181,432

' In Germany December 24, 1936 10 Claims.

It is known, when treating metal sheets in a liquid,for examplepickling, washing, and the like,to move these sheets in some way orother in the liquid. Such lifting, swinging, or other kind of moving wasefiected by the suspension means, which makesit necessary that thesemeans are dipped into the liquid-for example an acid, and is liable toaffect the delicate edges ofthin metal sheets. In addition, the means ofconveyance and of movement, such as pickling baskets and carriers, wereexposed to the action of chemicals, resulting in a considerable wear.Costly repairs and interruptions of operations were the consequences.

Continuous chemical treatment of metal sheets isdone most advantageouslyif these sheets have the shape of long strips, which makes it possibleto weld the individual strips together. This method can also be applied,if shorter metal sheets are welded together. However, in the case ofsquare-shaped sheets, this is rather complicated, also causingconsiderable cost of welding the joints, and resulting in losses owingto the necessity of cutting out the welded joints after treatment.

According to the invention, the disadvantages of the various knownmethods are obviated in a particularly simple manner by causing themetal sheets to float and, therefore, to be lifted off the guidingmembers, when they are treated in liquids, for the purpose of pickling,washing, or the like, thereby protecting the portions supported by theguiding members, while the metal sheets are passed through the liquid.

This lifting of the metal sheets can be efiected in various ways:

' Several devices for the application of this method are illustrated, byway of example, in the accompanying diagrammatical drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through a liquid container with thedevices according to the invention,

Fig. 2 is. a sectional view, taken on the line II-lTof Fig. 1, inenlarged scale,

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of a somewhat different embodiment witha. conveying device according to Fig. l (the conveying arms being shownonly),

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of another embodiment Fig. 5 is alongitudinal section through a liquid 0 ntainer of another type ofdevice according to the inventiom Fig. 6 isapartial topviewot same,

Fig. 7 is a section on the line VII-'-VII of Fig. 5, in enlarged scale.

An object o! the invention is to apply the principle of lifting owing tothe resistance of a liquid medium, similar to the lifting of aeroplanes5 by the air resistance, to the passing of metal sheets through theliquid in which they are treated, with analogous gliding or sailing.

Fig. 1 illustrates a trough I serving to contain the liquid 2 fortreatment. The nozzles 3 are 10 intended, according to the inventon, tocause an upward motion of the liquid, in order to lift the metal sheets.The direction of the current can be regulated by steering planes 4 ofsuitable material. At the entrance 5 the metal sheets. 15 after beingreleased by the flap 6, are led into the bath by a guide, and then passthrough the trough, carried by the current of the liquid, to the outlet1, where they are received by pressing and conveying rolls 8. For theregulation of the running speed in thebath, trip levers or conveyingarms 9 are provided, attached to a conveying device outside the'trough,for example a chain ill, by means of transverse members il. Guidingmembers 12 are provided, for example with 25 flanges l3. These flangesare arranged in ample distance from each other, giving the metal sheetsa certain amount of free play between the guiding members.

In the drawings, Fig. 2 it is shown how the 30 metal sheets are keptfloating within the guiding members 12 by theupward current of theliquid. Theguidings are made of chemical-proof material. Below theguiding members are longitudinal guides M which, in case the current of35 the liquid should leave ofi temporarily, prevent the metal sheetsirom bending downwards and thereby falling out of the guiding members,and which are given a stream-line section, in order to avoid theformation of eddies. In the event 40 of the current of the liquidbecoming too strong, safety rods l5 are provided, in order to preventthe metal sheets from bending or escaping upwards, and are suitablyattached to the transverse members of the chain l0, together with theconveying arms or trip levers 9. Both means, the safety rods l5 and thelongitudinal guides II, are arranged so that, in non al running, theyare not touched by the metal sheets. A washing device is provided at IS,in order. to remove the slight residues 01' chemical liquid settling onthe tips of the rods 9, by washing with water. Fig. zsho'ws the trough Ibeing wider than required by the guiding members l2, so as to enable theliquid, which rises in the middle, to run oil at the sides and at theends of the trough,

the liquid being induced again by special com veying means and pressedinto the nozzles 23.

The advantage of the above described arrangement is quite obvious. Themetal sheets are kept floating by the current of the liquid, beingforced by the guiding members to follow a certain path, without lyingwith their full weight at the edges on the flanges of the guidingmembers and thereby being liable to be damaged or scratched. By means ofthe trip levers on the conveying chain, arranged outside the bath, theyare "passed through the liquid for treatment with adjustable speed. Ifthe liquid is to efiect a chemical treatment, no moving parts are in theliquid, except the tips of the trip levers and possibly the tips of thesafety rods i5. It is easy to make these parts of material whichabsolutely resists the action of the chemicals. The only moving partwhich is of complicated construction, the conveying chain i0, is outsidethe liquid and outside the whole arrangement. The acid trough I can alsobe closed in a simple way with a lid, having longitudinal slits for thepassage of the mentioned rods.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatical illustration, showing how the metal sheetsare passed through the bath by specially bent guiding members l1, so asto assume a certain angle on of elevation. By the forward motion of themetal sheets at this angle of elevation, they are lifted from theguiding members. This lifting may be assisted by a gradually decreasinginclination of the guiding members towards the end of the motion, asillustrated.

In the construction, shown in Fig. 4, the liquid 2 of the bath iscirculated horizontally by a special device, for example a propeller it,in the direction of the arrows A, B, for which purpose a partition l9between the upper and lower portion of the liquid of the bath isprovided. As in the first case, the metal sheets are moved through thebath by trip levers and guidings, opposite to the direction of thecurrent of the liquid, and are placed at a certain angle ofelevation'frorn the beginning by means of a special arrangement of thetrip levers, so as to be kept floating under the action of thecounter-current of the liquid and of the forward motion of the triplevers. The metal sheet is then merely held in one point at the triplever.

In the constructions, shown in Figs. 3 and 4, guiding members i1 and 20respectively are illustrated by way of example, having only one lowerflange, but no upper limitation.

The various constructions show many possibilities of variation. Themethod permits to keep the metal sheets floating freely through theliquid as well as to limit the supporting pressure on the guidingmembers to requirement by regulating the lifting of the metal sheets. Itmay be necessary to have two or more trip levers 9 instead of one, inorder to prevent the metal sheets from edging in the guidings, which,however, does not affect the principle. As to the rest, the combinationsare pointed out, which can be developed from the various constructions.For example, the partition l9, shown in Fig. 4, may be punched. In thiscase, the punched holes in the mentioned partition, if the liquidcirculating device is arranged at the entrance, will permit the passageof liquid in upward direction, whereby a vertical lifting componentforce is added to the lifting due to the angle of elevation and thehorizontal motion of the liquid, the size and shape of the punched holesin said partition being made correspondingly. In order to obtain anincreased capacity, the arrangement can also be made in several storieson the top of each other.

It may be observed with regard to the curved shaping of the guidings I!in Fig. 3, that the guiding must form a gradually flattening curve, asotherwise a. lifting of the metal sheets from the guiding cannot beattained. The angle between the direction of the metal sheets and thetangent of the guiding at the supporting surface is of importance forlifting the metal sheets.

In the construction according to Fig. 4, the provision of a verticallifting component force can also serve to prevent an interruption of thecurrent. If there is only one horizontal component force, eddies mayform behind the metal sheet, according to the direction of the currentof the liquid, whereby the guiding of the second and third metal sheetmay be endangered or disturbed. This formation of eddies must beavoided, and by supplying fresh quantities of liquid, a fresh current isproduced.

In the construction according to Figs. 5 to 7, where the same referencecharacters are used as in Figs. 1 and 2, the modification consists inthat, instead of one pipe for the liquid of treatment with nozzles 3,two serpentine pipes 28, for example made of earthenware or glass withvery small holes (not illustrated), are provided, which are connectedwith a source of air or steam pressure. A regulating device 22 isprovided, enabling to finely regulate the air or steam jets 23 emergingfrom the small holes in the serpentine pipes.

The particularly fine regulation of the lifting force, acting upon themetal sheets a, by means of said regulating device, serves to preventwith certainty that the lifting force is too great and that the metalsheets touch with their top edges 53 the guiding l2, or are lifted outof the liquid 2. The application of steam or heated air possesses theadditional advantage of at the same time heating the liquid 2 fortreatment.

I claim:-

1. A device for treating metal sheets in liquids,

e. g. pickling, washing, or the like, comprising in combination: acontainer for the treating liquid, guiding members for guiding the metalsheets while passing through said container, conveying means for movingthe metal sheets through said container, and means for lifting the metalsheets oii said guiding members in order to protect the delicate edgesof the metal sheets.

2. A device for treating metal sheets in liquids, e. g. pickling,washing, or the like, comprising in combination: a container for thetreating liquid, guiding members for guiding the metal sheets whilepassing through said. container, conveying means for moving the metalsheets through said container, means for producing an upward motion ofthe liquid in said container and for lifting the metal sheets ,oif thelower portion of said guiding members.

3. A device for treating metal sheets in liquids, e. g. pickling,washing, or the like, comprising in combination: a container for thetreating liquid, guiding members for guiding the metal sheets whilepassing through said container, conveying means for moving the metalsheets through said container, pressure pipes with nozzles, produc ingupward currents of the treating liquid and thereby lifting the metalsheets off the lower portion of said guiding members.

4. A device for treating metal sheets in liquids, e. g. pickling,washing, or the like, comprising in combination: a container for thetreating liquid,

8,! time guiding members for guiding the metal sheets while passsingthrough said container, conveying means for moving the metal sheetsthrough said container, pressure pipes with nozzles, containing agaseous medium under pressure. producing upward currents of this medium.and eventually also oi the treating liquid, and thereby lifting themetal sheetsofl the lower portion of saidguiding members. 1 I

5. A. device for treating metal sheets in iiqui e. g. pickling. washing,or the like; comprising-in combination: a container for thetreatingliquhl. guiding members for guiding the metal sheets whilepassing through said containenconveying means for moving the metalsheets through said container, pressure pipes with nozzles, producingupward currents of the treating liquid and there,- by lifting the metalsheets 08 the lower portion of said guiding" members, and steeringplanes for specially steering the upward currents of. the treatingliquid.

6. A device for treating metal sheets in liquib. e. g. pickling-washing,or thelike, comprising in combination: a container forv the liquid,guiding members for guiding the metal sheets while passing through saidcontainer, eonveying means for moving the metal sheets through saidcontainer, pressure pines with notales, containing a hot gaseous mediumunder pressure, producing upward currents of this medium and eventuallyalso of Y the treating liquid, and thereby lifting the metal sheets oi!the lower portion oi said guiding members.

"I. A device for treating metal sheets in liquids,

e. g. pickling. washing, or the like, comprising in combinatiomgacontainer for the treating liquid, guiding members-rising in thedirection of the motion oi the metal sheets, and conveying means formoving the metal sheets through said container, the inclined of thesheets owin gto'saidrisingguidingmemberaproducing a force to liitthemetal sheets ofl. said members while passing through the treati 8liquid.

8 A; device for-treating metal sheets in liquids,

e. g. pickling, or the like. comprising in combination: a container forthe treating liq uid. guiding members for guiding the metal sheets whilepassing through said container, conveying means for moving the metalsheets through said container, means for lifting the metal sheets oi!said guiding members, and supporting members in'the lower portion orsaid container for holding the metal sheets and preventing same fromdeilectingin the event 0! a failure of said means ior lifting the metalsheets of! said guiding members; I I

9. A device for treating metal sheets in liquids, e. g. pickling,washing, or the like, compris ing in combination: a container for thetreating .iiquid, guiding members for guiding the metal sheets whilepassing-through said container, an 1 endless chain, arranged above thetreating liquid,-

sai'd endless chain provided withannsimmerging in the treating liquidandserving to move the metal sheets through said container, and meansi'or'liiting the metal sheets of! said guiding members.

10. A device iortreating sheets in lid-

